VEGETABLE PATCH : A sign change passes through early this morning, shifting from a brief flower window into a leaf day for the rest of the day — a welcome boost for leafy crops. Sow spinach directly in the bed: 2 cm deep, seeds 3 cm apart, then thin to 8 cm once established, rows 30 cm. Rocket follows the same logic: 0.5 cm deep, seeds 2 cm apart, rows 20 cm — it germinates quickly and rewards you within weeks. Swiss chard is worth starting under cover now: 2 cm deep, seeds 5 cm apart in trays, later planted out at 35 cm in the row, rows 40 cm. Chervil and chives can go directly into a sheltered bed — both appreciate the ascending waning crescent energy on a leaf day. A foliar spray of diluted nettle tea this afternoon will give seedlings a gentle nitrogen lift.
INDOORS : Celery seedlings started earlier in the season may be ready for their first thinning — keep the strongest plants at 2 cm apart in the tray before planting out later at 30 cm in the row, rows 40 cm. Basil trays under cover benefit from a light misting this morning; keep them warm and out of draughts. Parsley is notoriously slow to germinate — if yours is taking its time, patience is the only tool needed.
LANDSCAPING : The waning crescent is now very close to new moon — a quiet moment to tend rather than transform. Trim spent flower stems on your primrose clumps and divide any congested crowns after flowering to reinvigorate them for next spring. Check the base of your rhododendron and camellia for accumulated debris and refresh their ericaceous mulch if the layer has thinned over winter.